Wednesday, July 30, 2008

I had everything I needed to start it last week but then I decided I really wanted to stitch it on a Lakeside Linen piece of fabric. So I ordered 32ct Vintage Lentil and started stitching it on Monday afternoon after I got my order in that morning. Here's my wee update:

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Hi Everyone! I'm loving everyone's progress! You all are such an inspiration! I finished the bottom house yesterday. I ended up taking out the hearts next to the words. My friend Deb suggested it last week when we met for lunch and I like it a lot better. I'm not sure if I'm going to put something else there or not. She suggested maybe two blackbirds or something. I may just leave. I kind of like it with just the words.

I had a nightmare about my neighborhood last night. You can read about it on my blog. It was crazy! :)

Monday, July 28, 2008

Hey everyone! I have been super busy with my job, my family life etc so there hasn't been a whole lot of time left for stitching, but I did start Little House Neighborhood last Monday so I do have an update to share with you!

I decided to change the DMC colors for the houses to Crescent Colors and have started the first house. It is being stitched with Bramble Bush. Sorry about the wrinkles in the fabric, I just never iron my pieces until they are done.

Here is my first little house finished! I finally got that part done and it took a little time but not as long as it did to finish the roof I had to frog out so many times. I love the door on this house. Now on to the other squirrel, tree and things on the right. Thank you everyone who gave me some good input about stitching in hand or on a frame. Since this is 40 ct fabric, I am going to continue with the q snaps and perhaps try stitching in hand on 32 ct sometime. My stitches are laying like I want doing things this way for me.

I am about to leave for a two weeks' holiday with my family (DH and our two kids). We are going onto the mountains and I wanted to let you know that unfortunately I think I will not have Internet connection there, then I will not be able to post or read posts until my return home, on August the 9th. I am so sorry about this. I will miss you!I am carrying my "Neighborhood" with me and whenever I will be stitching I will think of you all! :-) Please, do not stitch too fast!...LOL...I am afraid that, on my return, I will find that some of you have already finished her piece...! ;-)

Here is a very little progress, made during a break from packing...

Thanks for looking and see you in two weeks! :)Hugs & Happy Stitching!Monica

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

It has been so long since I put up a post but here is the little bit of progress. I decided to try stitching in hand with this project and trying to do that on 40 ct fabric is just not the thing to do for me at least. I have frogged out the roof at least 3 times and even after putting it back on my Q Snaps, it was a huge challenge to get this pattern back on track. I feel like someone who is just learning how to cross stitch again but after frogging too many times, it stressed the fabric and getting things to line up finally worked out for me this morning!! Hip Hip Horray!! I was trying the sewing method and I felt like I had it all figured out, but my stitches didn't lay like I like them too. The ones on the tree and the other things looks so much better so I am going back to my Q Snaps. I may try it again on 32 ct fabric sometime to see but for some reason my stitches didn't look as good as I had hoped. Nicole (Carolina Dreams) does all of her stitching in hand and it is so beautiful so I wanted to try it but don't start out with this color on 40 ct! I am just so glad to have it back on track now so I can stitch the house! What a relief!! Anyhow that is why I have been gone so long and to think this is all the progress I have to show. Still I am loving this project so much and hope to progress faster this time!!

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Not a lot of progress to show, but I have started!! Frogged already too, I hope I've sent him packing though!!

My fabric is more "sand" color than what it is showing on screen - the color is really not showing up well in this picture. I decided on Lakeside Linens Sand Dune (36 ct). I had it in my stash, and the colors look pretty good on it.

DH is out of town this week, so I've been stitching a lot. Hope to get in some more time tonight on this. Suz

Hi everyone!Thanks Nicole for inviting me to join in on the SAL!I am not a very fast stitcher, but I am so happy to share my little start... I have choosen a 36 count Zweigart linen, coffee-dyed by me ( using a 36ct Antique White linen as a base) and the recommended DMC threads.Thanks for looking! :-)

Monday, July 21, 2008

I now have my 'Neighborhood' chart and picked out a nice 32ct light mocha Belfast linen from my stash. I really wanted to use a hand-dyed piece of Lakeside Linen fabric but I didn't have any in my stash (Shocking, I know!) and I don't want to wait to start this project. Just need to pull my DMC and I'm ready! Thanks for having me on this SAL. What a great idea to blog it and everyone's progress! Thanks, Nicole!

Hi!I'm excited and looking forward to share my WIP.This is my progress so far. I have started my Little House Neighborhood using my own coffee-dyed 32ct linen.I like the overall dyed results, it's shades of cream & brown.

Can u hear the birds chirping on the tree that i just 'planted'?

Moving on to build the houses next to my tree and will share once its built.I love building houses, especially LHN ones!Till then, Happy SAL~

Saturday, July 19, 2008

My first progress picture for the LHN SAL. I started this sometime over the last week. I know it's not much, but it's not a bad little start. Excuse the thread in front of the tree. Thanks for looking!

Hi everyone. Thanks for letting me join in on the SAL! I have my chart, but still need to gather threads and fabric. Threads will probably be DMC - I hope to stop by Joann's tomorrow. If I can't find fabric, I'll probably wait until I go to the stitch night on the 26th in Virginia Beach. Dyeing To Stitch is the LNS that hosts, and the owners also own R & R Reproductions fabric. They have some gorgeous colors.

Here is a little more progress on LHN. I did the tree yesterday. My DH surprised me and took the day off yesterday. He worked on the chicken coop a little more and in between doing things for him and fixing lunch etc I stitched the tree. Now I am moving on the flower beside the house and then to the house itself. I love this project!

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Can you believe it, I finally got something to post here in our Little House Neighborhood. I wish I had more progress here but I ended up doing a bit of frogging, and my border was off a little at first but I got this much done today. I am stitching this on 40 ct. Lt. Exemplar linen with one thread over two. I had wanted to do this on 32 ct. but they didn't have any in this color at my LNS and I had this and decided to use it. I originally was going to use more Crescent threads but I remember how easy on a larger project it is to maybe get something on it and I had a problem with the Crescent thread bleeding when I pressed with a damp cloth, so I have decided to go ahead with the DMC threads. I did use Old Oak Tree on the border though before I decided this but I like it and am trying to be really careful. Now on to the tree tomorrow!

Sunday, July 13, 2008

I broke down Friday night and started. DH is working 10:30 PM to 6:30 AM this weekend and the project I should be working on was in the bedroom. I really didn't want to wake him up so I decided to start "Little House Neighborhood." I didn't get as much done as I thought since life and family kept interfering. This week I will be workin on my RR - bummer:( Hopefully I won't pass out when I attempt to work a little bit more on it tonight.

I have finished pulling all of my floss and fabric. I took it to the hospital with me to work on it there, but was too groggy to do it. Tonight, hopefully, I will work on it a little. I will post more as soon as I get a progress picture of it.

Friday, July 11, 2008

I hadnt heard anything all week so I thought I would pop in to my LNS to see if it was in and I got lucky! I picked up all the DMC thread as charted and picked out Days Gone By 28ct Lugana for the fabric. But as luck would have it, the camara is at work with D so I will post a pic later.

Here is the fabric and threads that I am using for the Little House Neighborhood. I had wanted to use 32 ct Lt. Exemplar but I found out that my Lt. Exemplar is 40 ct so I am going to use it instead of having to order the fabric. I am using most of the DMC colors that the pattern calls for, but I wanted a few Crescent Colors added, so I substituted 420 for Old Oak Tree, 926 for Miladys Teal, and 3857 for Manor Red. I hope it will look ok. I had wanted to start on this yesterday but my neighbor asked me if I would like to go over to Sam's with her to get some things, so I enjoyed having lunch out and going with her. I am so behind here at home but I want to get a start on this today. Everyone's starts here just really make me want to start too. It looks like a really fun stitch!

Monday, July 7, 2008

I gathered together my threads and linen today. I went through my bin of linen and chose a piece of 28 ct. Lambswool (Jobelan). I am really excited to start and plan to do that this weekend. I need to get a RR ready to go before I can start. I just love the colors!

I finally decided on my fabric. I think I will just be using the recommended DMC but I might change some of the DMC out on the houses for some hand dyed threads, I haven't decided yet. We will see what happens when I start stitching :)

32ct Light Mocha Belfast and DMC threads

I can't wait to start stitching this! I am stitching 'The Rain Fell' right now and am going to finish it up before I start on the Little House Neighborhood. I think the SAL for this starts on the 21st in the Yahoo group, so I am going to go with that date.

Nicole - thanks for this blog! Susan, your start is great! My pattern, floss (DMC) and fabric are on order as of yesterday, no lns here in Northern Kentucky. I can't wait to get started! Since I just started stitching again recently, I'm thinking of sticking to 14 count - easier to see - anyone else doing this? More later... Shari

Thursday, July 3, 2008

A few people have asked about the structure of the SAL. There is no structure. Just start and stitch when you can! I figure this could be a place where we share our progress and any changes we have made. It's going to be fun and relaxed!!